Low Levels Affecting Lake Arrowhead Residents

Low Levels Affecting Lake Arrowhead Residents

<p>The need for Wichita Falls residents to conserve is crucial.</p>
<p>As we mentioned, the city depends on Lake Arrowhead water for drinking but before the water ever gets to Wichita Falls, its being pumped out by residents outside the city.</p>
<p>Mechell Dixon talked with officials to find out whether any restrictions apply to lake residents.</p>

Many Lake Arrowhead residents pump water from the lake to water their lawns.

And while they don't have to follow stage three water restrictions, like residents in Wichita Falls, getting lake water to flow is now a tough task for them.

The water is why lake arrowhead residents enjoy living here but now the drought is taking the main draw away.

"The more and more it recedes, the more hazards show up in the lake so the people that are actually ...You can't utilize the lake as it was designed to be utilized other than the drinking source," says Mike Hall, who live on Lake Arrowhead.

One way residents utilized it was on their lawns by pumping the water from the lake.

But one resident says that's now tough to do.

"Right now, the lake levels are so low that my line is actually out of the water," Hall says.

Lake Arrowhead is now at 40% capacity which means, residents now have more than 350 feet of extra land on their property, which used to be all under water.

With the water receded and many pumps not working because of low levels, Hall says many Lake Arrowhead residents can still use the water despite mandated conservation restrictions in the City of Wichita Falls, which uses this water for drinking.

"Our contract says we are allowed to pump water out of, which I will if I'm able to, but I'll be very careful on how I use it cause the last thing we want is for them to come in and say no you can't do this now," explains Hall.

Wichita Falls public works officials tell me the city cannot make Lake Arrowhead resident stop pumping lake water but they do hope residents will conserve, which many are already doing since they also use the water for drinking.